THE GOLDEN YEARS ONWARDS

The "golden years" of meetings between Napoli and AC Milan (from 1987 to 1990) represent one of the most iconic periods in Italian football, a rivalry between Napoli and their standout talent Diego Armando Maradona, and AC Milan's Dutch stars under Arrigo Sacchi. Throughout those years, the two sides battled directly for the Scudetto, with several particular episodes etched into Serie A history. 1 May 1988: AC Milan's decisive overtake, with the iconic 3-2 win at the Stadio San Paolo. A few months later: Napoli's response, when the Partenopei struck back with a 4-1 home victory, highlighted by a spectacular goal from Maradona. February 1990: AC Milan's 3-0 win, a commanding Rossoneri success with goals from Massaro, Maldini and van Basten. They were also the years when Italy consistently ranked among the best international teams in the world.

The Italy of those roaring Napoli v AC Milan clashes certainly did not struggle to qualify for major tournaments, reaching the semi-finals at Euro 1988 and again at the 1990 World Cup. Today, however, the situation is different. From both the media and the public's points of view, the two clubs now attempt to carry the Azzurri's flame by reigniting one of Italian football's historic rivalries. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo was absent due to injury. Spinazzola and Politano failed to shine, while Buongiorno remained on the bench. On the AC Milan side, Matteo Gabbia was also absent through injury, and Ricci was not selected. Looking ahead, the future of the Italian team will depend on the young talents developed by Napoli and AC Milan, from Vergara to Bartesaghi, Camarda to Comotto.

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